Thursday, April 30, 2009

Here's my latest addition to Abby's wardrobe! This one was really fun and quick to make. The pattern is Indygo Junction's Tie top tunic and capris pants. Abby loves it and couldn't wait to put it on. It's a little longer than I hoped, too short for a dress though. I highly recommend this pattern and if you have a serger its even quicker! I love the gathered pocket and appliqued a butterfly from the scraps onto it which turned out well.

It has been such great weather here lately that we decided to have an extended water day yesterday. There were plenty of friends and neighbors to join in the fun!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

As promised, I got started right away last night! I labored over what to make last night...it was silly really, but I finally made a decision. I got this pretty floral at the big sale a while back and decided to make a dress for Abby. First I monogrammed it, of course! That's one of the big features of my new machine. It was great, I am going to be doing a lot more of that in the future. Then I made a little A-line dress called "Lillian" by Children's Corner. It was a cinch I made the whole thing, from start to finish, in about 1.5 hours. It buttons up the back and has little slits in the side hems. It's really cute, I will have to make that one again.

This morning I got a surprise call from the owner of the shop where I got my machine yesterday. I immediately thought "oh no!" BUT...she called to tell me that the manufacturer decided to discount the machine $500 and I would be recieving a credit back...on the machine I bought YESTERDAY! I really thought it was too good to be true, which is a little funny because the sermon in church this week was about being "too good to be true." It's amazing...I was already getting a good deal, but the price I ended up with was what a used one might cost! So praise God for sweet surprizes!

Today was our park playgroup day and it was such a sweet surprize that several friend's kids were wearing clothes that I have made! I opted for a spur of the moment photo shoot! I seldom see kids other than my own wearing things I have made (during the wee hours of the morning) so that was really fun for me. And of course, my kids were in some Leslie Originals too! It was a beautiful, perfect day at the park.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Hehehe, a bit dramatic-I know! Today I got my new sewing machine that I have been wanting. I got a Designer SE from Viking (and my favorite little shop!) I haven't done much but take it out of the box, but I wanted to share the good news before I sat down to sew something. It is packed full of bells and whistles, including a color touch screen display. I think she needs a name...I'll work on that. Let me know if you have a fun idea and there might be a prize in it for ya'. So now I have two machines (plus the serger) and my tables a little crowded. Hmmm, didn't quite think that through. But I will be able to have sewing playdates and my friends don't need to bring a thing! I am sure to post some fun projects this week!

I made this cute little skirt to match a dress of Abby's from last year that I loved. I saw the fabric online and had to have a little. I made this skirt the other evening and monogrammed the t-shirt to match so she could wear it to a birthday party the next day. It is Children's Corner "Sassy Skirts" and it sewed up quickly. I didn't even start it til 11pm! I do still have to add some belt loops and a white sash to tie in a bow, those were optional and I think it needs it. I went up a size, added an inch to the hem and did a narrower hem than it called for. I serged the lining instead of hemming to save time too. The fabric is heirloom imports "bubbles." I thought it was pricey and that's why I decided on a skirt.Those are pink whales smocked on there...too cute. It's an Amanda Remembered, one of my fave brands to buy. And of course...I got it at my fave store! Here is the birthday boy, Cole. He turned 5...I just can't believe it. He is Abby's most favorite friend. He moved away last year and we try to see him often. She tells me she misses him and want to call him all the time. Sometimes she randomly starts crying because she misses him. He calls her his Princess and they are cute and snuggly together. She may be one of the few rough and tumble girls who can keep up with him too! ....Haha, I just realized that Jonah, one of his brothers, is picking his nose in that awesome birthday shot I snagged! Priceless.

In other happenings, Kane went on his first real fishing trip of the season Saturday while we were at the party. He had a great catch that will definately feed us and his crew mates for the Summer. Check out the biggest one. Now, Kane is a big dude, so this fish is longer than I am tall. It weighed more than 50lbs (that's the maximum weight of his scale) and had another keeper sized dolphin (cannibal!!!) still hanging out of mouth from lunch.They had a great day on the water, it was beautiful and almost 95 degrees. And let me say, we had a yummy grilled Mahi dinner last night too! Hooray for hubs!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

I was motivated to clean up and organize my sewing area to maximize my space last week. And soooo....I motivated Kane to hang me some shelves to help. I got shelves, bins, jars, and racks and got a good start. Its not finished yet as I would like to make it pretty also. I hope to get a new machine in the very near future so I needed the space anyways! More on that later. There's nothing like a nice clean space to motivate the creative juices. I highly recommend it!Leslie Wrightwww.thewrightgirls.blogspot.com

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

I made this cute tote that turns into a beach towel last night at embroidery club class. It turned out very cute and I see some birthday present making in my future! The next one I make I hope to put backpack straps on, I think kids would love that. At class I used a fancy schmancy demo machine because mine is in the shop. I have been wanting a new one with even more bells and whistles but using it one time for a class was frustrating because I didn't know how to use that particular one. (It was a Viking Topaz 30, a new model) I did discover, however, that when I do get a new one I don't want to trade mine in. Its simple, but I love it. Who says you only need one!Leslie Wrightwww.thewrightgirls.blogspot.com

Monday, April 20, 2009

I've been busy sewing, as usual! I made three of each of these for a sweet friend. Making boy things is kind of growing on me and I really like doing different patterns that I would usually not be making.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Friday, after the egg hunt, we went fishing at a friend's house. The girls have helped daddy on the boat fishing but this is the first time that they held their own new kid-sized poles. They loved it, it was the most fun and a very beautiful day. The poles just had rubber weights on the line because they don't know how to cast yet and I didn't want them hooking their dresses(or bodies!) and they were so frustrated that they weren't catching anything! It was funny. We had a great time.

I got some fabric in the mail yesterday and I was so excited! I ordered from a new place in Texas and it came so quickly. Look how it came! It was wrapped up all cute and came with fabric samples and a few cute buttons to match my fabric. I will definately order from here again!

Here's what I got...so cute!Here's what I have to get through before I can get started on the cute stuff above. I was so tired last night that all I could make myself do was lay out the pieces and match up the linings. Maybe tonight...

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

We went to the annual Easter egg hunt this weekend, as usual we had a great time! We hunted and the girls scavengered the pinata spoils. Abby was still afraid of the bunny, but Reese couldn't wait to hop into his lap. There was a wonderful picnic with bunny shaped sandwiches in the cutest little boxes. The girls weren't quite quick enough this year to beat the big kids to the eggs but got more than their fair share from the pinata. We had a great time and the weather was absolutly perfect.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

So, we had some brithday craft devastattion last week...check out the first time we wore the new bubble gum dresses! I will say that it was a super fun party and that no other kid painted as much as my girls...so of course they were the dirtiest by far. Reese even sat in a big splosh of paint. The paint did come out, after a super stain cycle with bleacg, but it bleached out the hot pink details on the dress. Hopefully, no one will notice!